Ingredients
Essential Ingredients
Black Tea – The base of the drink; use bold varieties like Assam, Darjeeling, or English Breakfast.
Tea Bags / Tea Leaves / Loose-Leaf Teas – Any form is suitable depending on what you have.
Milk – For creaminess and texture; whole milk, oat milk, cashew milk, or almond milk all work well.
Ground Cinnamon, Cloves, Cardamom – The essential spices that define classic chai flavor.
Maple Syrup / Honey / Agave / Coconut Sugar – One must be used to add sweetness and balance.
Water – Needed to steep the tea.
Optional Ingredients
Fresh Ginger – Adds extra warmth and heat to the blend.
Nutmeg – For a slightly nutty, deeper spice profile.
Vanilla Bean – Brings soft floral notes to round out the flavor.
Coconut Milk – A non-traditional twist for tropical creaminess.
Star Anise, Cinnamon Sticks, Cardamom Pods, Black Peppercorns – Whole spices that enhance aroma when toasted.
Salt – Just a pinch can heighten flavor balance.
Fine Mesh Strainer – Recommended for a smooth final texture.
Frothy Milk, Cinnamon Stick, Dash of Ground Cinnamon – For garnish and aesthetic, café-style serving.
Recipe
The chai tea latte is warm, comforting, and full of flavor. To make it, start with strong black tea such as Assam, Darjeeling, or English Breakfast. You can use tea bags, loose-leaf, or regular tea leaves. Heat your choice of milk—whole milk, oat milk, cashew milk, or almond milk—in a small saucepan. While it simmers, stir in ground cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom. For extra flavor, you can also add nutmeg, vanilla bean, fresh ginger, or even coconut milk for a unique twist. Sweeten it with maple syrup, honey, agave, or coconut sugar, and if needed, a pinch of salt to balance the taste. Using a fine mesh strainer will help remove spice residue before serving.
- Boil water and steep tea bags in a mug for 3 to 5 minutes.
- In a small saucepan, heat the milk over medium heat until it begins to simmer.
- Add ground cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves.
- Optionally, add nutmeg, fresh ginger, or vanilla bean for more depth.
- Remove from heat and combine the steeped tea with the milk mixture.
- Stir in maple syrup or your preferred sweetener.
- Taste and adjust with more sweetener or a pinch of salt if desired.
- Strain the mixture into mugs using a fine mesh strainer.
- Garnish with frothed milk, a dash of ground cinnamon, or a cinnamon stick.
- Enjoy warm, or store leftovers in the fridge to reheat or serve over ice later.
Iced chai latte
- Prepare the chai latte following the original recipe steps.
- Let the brewed tea and spiced milk mixture cool to room temperature.
- Fill a glass with ice cubes.
- Pour the cooled chai latte over the ice.
- Add a splash of cold milk on top if desired.
- Garnish with a sprinkle of ground cinnamon.
- Serve chilled for a refreshing iced chai latte experience.
Serving at Cafés vs Home
In most coffee shops, chai lattes are made quickly by mixing chaiconcentrate with steamedmilk, often using cartonedblends and topped with a thick layer of froth. These are convenient but usually much sweeter and less spiced than traditional recipes. At home, you get full control—you can choose your own milk, adjust sweetness, and use freshspices or loose–leafteas for deeper, more comforting flavor. Serve in a warmmug, with a touch of frothymilk and a sprinkleofcinnamon for that café-style finish.
Want to try classic doodh patti or classic Pakistani chai? We got ya!
sugar-free, dairy-free chai tea? No problem.
